Arthur's Favorite Word
by BluePhantom15
Summary: "Would you stop that?" Arthur growled. "Stop what?" Gwaine questioned innocently. "Counting!" "Counting what?" "Counting how many times I say Merlin!" "53" "Ugh!"


**BluePhantom15: **Pot bunnies got to me, and produced this. So have fun with it. Sorry for any spelling/ grammar errors you might find.

**Disclaimer:** I can't own Merlin, because he's already Arthur's servant. Drat, oh well, maybe in another life. But for now, I own nothing.

"Rise and shine!" An annoying loud and cheery voice called from across the room. Arthur slowly raised his head, looking over at his ever so gleeful man servant. He couldn't understand how one could be so cheery this early in the morning. Arthur was not a morning person, and Merlin knew this very well. That is why he made an extra effort to wake Arthur up earlier then necessary everyday just to spite him. It annoyed Arthur to no extent.

"Merlin, I'm awake you can leave now." Arthur stated groggily, still half asleep.

"What? But I haven't even served you breakfast yet! And we all know how you get without your food." Merlin said, still smiling like a fool.

"Merlin, leave,_ now_."

"Not that you need the extra calories. Finally decided to watch your weight, huh?"

"MERLIN!" Arthur boomed.

Chuckling, Merlin slipped out of the doorway and back into the hall, where people were walking, talking and preparing for another day.

"You know you really shouldn't piss him off so much. He is the king after all." Sir Leon said; hand on the hilt of his sword. "Besides, I think the other's are starting to get annoyed at hearing him yell '_MER_LIN!' every morning. Did you know we even make bets on when he's going to shout it? I won today, so thanks. But tomorrow try to keep him happy okay?"

"I do nothing but try to please my master." Merlin said humbly trying to hide the smirk on his face.

"Of course you do Merlin, of course you do." Leon said patting the scrawny boy on the shoulder, before proceeding down the hall.

Merlin then began walking towards the kitchen, before he was met with the face of a very sober Gawine, a rare sight indeed.

"Good morning!" Gawine exclaimed, throwing an arm around Merlin. Perhaps he was drunk after all, but then again this could just be the way Gawine always was.

"Morning!" Merlin chirped back. He couldn't put his finger on why, but Merlin was in a very good mood today.

"Princess got you working like a pack mule already?" Gawine inquired, seeing the direction Merlin was headed.

"You have no idea." Merlin breathed, still grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh, I think I have a decant underst-" Gawine started but was cut off with a ever so famous,

"Merlin!"

Sighing to himself, Merlin turned around and headed back for Arthurs chambers, waving goodbye to Gawine. Before he left however, he noticed a bright smile of knowing cross Gawine's face.

Curiously he asked, "What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing." Gawine said. "It's just the count has already begun."

"Count?" Merlin repeated, confused.

"I'll tell you later." Gawine smirked. "Right now his royal pain awaits."

Deciding not to press further, Merlin made his way into Arthur's room, only to be welcomed with a scowl.

"Where is my belt, Merlin? I told you to clean it last night, and now it's missing!" Arthur snapped, awaiting an explanation.

"What are you talking about? I washed it then I put it back in your drawer like I always do. It's there, trust me."

"That's the thing _Mer_lin, I don't trust you." Arthur huffed, approaching his already opened drawer.

"You don't? And here after all this time I thought we were starting to bond." Merlin said trying to appear wounded. Despite himself, Arthur let a small chuckle escape his mouth, but immediately after went back to fuming over his lost belt.

"I don't see it, Merlin!"

"You're hopeless, let me take a look." Merlin said, shoving Arthur to the side and peering into the mess inside Arthur's drawer. In a matter of seconds he pulled out the long skinny piece of leather and held it out to Arthur.

"How do you do that?" Arthur questioned, baffled.

"It's a gift. Well, that and you're as blind a dollop head."

"Merlin?"

"Yes?"

"Get out."

"Going sire."

**(Later that day in the Tavern) **

"Merlin! I knew you would come! Take a seat!" Gwaine patted down on the chair next to his.

"Well someone's got to keep you from drinking the place dry." Merlin stated, sitting down.

"Arthur finally done with you for the day?" Gwaine asked, taking another mug to his mouth.

"I hope so. I've been running around for him all day, and nothing seems to please him. He's in a worse mood then he normally is." Merlin huffed, taking a small sip of the rum then placing it back down on the counter.

"Oh I could tell. The count is a higher today then usually." Gawine said matter of factly.

"Speaking of which what is the 'count' anyways?"

Gwaine took a moment's pause, finishing his third cup.

"The count of how many times Arthur has said his favorite word of course."

"Arthur's favorite word?" Merlin repeated dumbfounded.

"Yes, his favorite word. I find his says it more often when he's in a bad mood." Gwaine stated naturally.

"What's his favorite word?" Merlin inquired, now interested.

"Merlin."

"What is it?" Merlin questioned.

"No, Merlin. His favorite word is Merlin." Gwaine chuckled.

"Huh? Merlin? How am I his favorite word?" Merlin said disbelieving.

"Oh come on! Do you seriously not notice how he says your name like every five minutes?" Gwaine slurred, taking another drink.

"That's because I'm his servant, he has to say my name to get my attention."

"Please, I can guarantee you that Arthur doesn't even know a third of the servant's names in the castle, and even if that were so, I highly doubt he would need to say your name as often as he does to get your attention. Believe me, it's his favorite word." Gwaine finished, placing his hands on the table.

"Are you telling me you actually count how many times he says my name daily?" Merlin inquired.

"O heck yeah. It's kind of fun. You should start counting yourself, and maybe then you'll get what I mean. I myself am already at 49 today." Gwaine smirked.

"No way, that many? I think your exaggerating." Merlin said, shaking his head.

"Oh, trust me I'm no-"

"Merlin!"

"50" Gwaine smiled.

"I can't believe this! I tell you to muck out the stables, and I find you here, goofing off in the tavern. Again! I should have you in the stocks for this!" Arthur huffed, angrily, approaching the table where the knight and the servant sat.

"Maybe you were right." Merlin mumbled to Gwaine.

"Right about what, Merlin?" Arthur hissed.

"51"

"What?" Arthur asked, looking at Gwaine.

"51" Gwaine said again.

"51 what?" Arthur asked again.

"You've said the word 'Merlin' 51 times today. Which proves that it is your favorite word."

"What? How is Merlin my favorite word?"

"52"

"Would you stop that!?" Arthur growled.

"Stop what?" Gwaine questioned innocently.

"Counting!"

"Counting what?"

"Counting how many times I say Merlin!"

"53"

"Ugh!"

"Merl-, his name is not my favorite word okay? I just have to say it a lot because he's such an idiot, that it takes him a while to pay attention." Arthur stated, as if that was a good enough explanation to drop the matter completely.

"That and you like saying it." Gwaine added, giving a soft giggle.

"I do _not_. You know what? This is stupid, let's go Merlin."

"54"

"Oh shut up!"

"Come on Arthur, haven't I done enough work for today? All I ask is the night off. I've done everything you've asked, I'm exhausted." Merlin complained, stretching out his legs for emphasis.

" You're a servant Merlin, it's your job."

"55" Merlin said out of spite.

"I told you he was addicted" Gwaine chimed in.

"I am not -! I am not addicted." Arthur stated calmly

"Wow princess is learning to control his anger." Gwaine cheered, impressed.

"I'll have you know, that I have never had an anger problem before you two came to Camelot." Arthur huffed in annoyance.

"Aww, I knew you loved us!" Merlin beamed.

"We're leaving _now_." Arthur commanded. "Come on, manservant."

"Manservant?" Merlin questioned.

"Well apparently I have an addiction. This is my attempt at rehab." Arthur said giving Merlin an evil smirk.

"Oh, haha very funny." Merlin spat sarcastically.

Arthur simply continued to smile.

"Oh, and by the way, the meat you ate this morning, yeah it wasn't meat." Merlin happily exclaimed.

A look of utter disgust crossed Arthur's face, before proceeding to yell "MERLIN!"

Laughing, Merlin ran out of the tavern shouting

"56, 56, 56!"

"Get back here!"

Arthur ended up chasing him all the way back to the castle.

By the end of the day, Arthur had managed to break his personal record.

He had apparently said 'Merlin' a total 103 times that day, counting courtesy of one sir Gwaine.

**BluePhantom15: **Haha, that was fun. But seriously does anyone else notice that Arthur says Merlin's name way more times than necessary in an episode? Oh well, it's one of the things I love about him. :D

Reviews are like sugar to the soul, so please leave a comment.


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